“And?”
“And he said he didn’t know what I was talking about, that you didn’t have his phone.”
I feel a muscle twitch in my jaw. I have two choices: continue to lie or tell the truth. The truth may hurt her, but a lie definitely will.
“Alright, the truth is, I did lie to you, and I’m sorry.”
Her eyes widen. “Really.”
I nod. “I can’t tell you everything, but I can tell you this much. I’m doing undercover work only Keenan knows about, and it’s bloody crucial the people I’m in with don’t find out. I didn’t want you to worry or find out something that will make it that much harder for you.” It’s the absolute truth.
She nods thoughtfully.
“Something you need to understand, lass, and mark me well. The men of the Clan don’t share every detail of every job with their significant others. Sometimes, it’s safer for you not to know. Doesn’t mean it will always be the case, but there are times when it’s best not to ask questions.”
“I can understand that,” she says. “I don’t like you lying to me, though.”
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. Next time, I’ll just tell you, it’s not something I can talk about.” I never lie. I’m not sure what the bloody hell got into me.
She nods. “Alright, then.” For some reason, she looks nervous. She bites her lip, and her cheeks flush a little. “But there’s something I have to tell you, too.”
“Oh?”
She closes her eyes as if to steel herself. “I’m not sure if it matters or not, but still, I need to tell you.”
I sit up. She sits up with me, tugging her clothes back on. She doesn’t look in my eyes, and she’s clearly a little troubled. Nervous. It’s unlike her.
What the hell is this?
“I… well maybe it’s best if I show you.”
I try to reserve judgment. I watch her as I get dressed myself.
“Well… the first night I was here, the night of the wedding?” she says.
“Aye.”
With a sigh, she opens her bag. “I found this.”
She pulls out what looks like a ruined journal. It’s swollen and damaged, as if someone threw it in a lake.
“Are you… are you familiar with it?”
I shake my head, as my heart begins to quicken. Somehow, I know this matters, that it will shed light on what we need.
“Was it Eve’s?”
She sighs. “Aye. And I… have to admit, I read some. But then we got caught in that rainstorm in Stone City, and… well…” She sighs, closes her eyes, then opens them again. “It got ruined.”
I shove the anger that surfaces away. It isn’t her fault. I can’t blame her. But Jesus, I never knew Eve kept a diary.
Why didn’t she tell me?
I reach my hand out. “May I?”
She nods. I open the cover, but the front pages are stuck to it like they were glued. The paper is utterly ruined, ink smeared and jammed together. I can’t leaf through it, because everything is too stiff and damaged.
“See? Ruined,” she says with a sigh. “And I’m so sorry, Carson.”
I don’t respond, because I’m trying to turn the ruined pages when I notice something. Words on a page in Eve’s handwriting. Legible.
“The center isn’t ruined,” I say softly. “It isn’t ruined at all.”
I read.
And I read.
And I read.
And as I do, my vision clouds. My heart hammers in my chest. I get to my feet. I pace the room. In a choked, strangled voice, laced with anger, I whisper. “You have to leave.”
I shake my head. I was right. This changes everything.
“Megan, you have to go.”Chapter 14MeganI stare at him as if he’s speaking a foreign language. I shake my head in bewilderment. My heart still races from climaxing beneath him not ten minutes ago.
I reach for the diary. “Carson, let me see. Let me read it.”
But he shakes his head, and his voice sharpens. “No. You have to go. Megan, I’m not fooling around.” And to solidify things he takes his phone out of his pocket, swipes it on, and ten seconds later I hear him talking to Nolan.
“Nolan, you need to come get Megan. She’s at my flat, and she needs an escort.”
No.
“Carson,” I begin, but he’s ignoring me. He stands up and walks away from me, shaking his head.
“You have to go,” he says for what feels like the millionth time.
“Let me at least see what you read.”
“No.”
He’s like a vault. He won’t speak to me, won’t show me anything, his face as hard as granite when Nolan comes to get me.
“I’m fine,” I say, both hurt and anger warring within me. “I’ll see myself out.”
Nolan’s arrived and he witnesses all.
“Ah, you won’t, cousin,” Nolan says gently, but when he reaches for my elbow, his grip is tight. “You’ll come with me.”
“What did I do?” I say. I’m so angry with all of them. How could they treat me like this? What did he read in the pages of that diary that mean anything at all?